Rigid plastic bag



June 27, 1967 E. BRUTTING RIGID PLASTIC BAG 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 21, 1965 June 27,1967

4 Sheets-Sheet Filed 001:. 21, 1965 FIG.6

FIG. 7

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 8

E. BRUTTING RIGID PLASTIC BAG June 27, 1967 Filed 001;. 21, 1965 June 27, 1967 E. BRUTTING 3,327,924

RIGID PLASTIC BAG Filed Oct. 21, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent RIGID PLASTIC BAG Eugen Briitting, Henfeufelderstrasse 17, Schwaig, near Nurnberg, Germany Filed Get. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,677 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 17, 1965,

7 Claims. (Cl. 229-55) The present invention relates to a plastic bag which may be employed as a cartonlike container of considerable rigidity for storing and shipping various goods, as a final sales package and carrying case for these goods, and also as a shopping bag or for similar purposes.

Although bags of thin sheet plastic are being employed very extensively as containers for numerable types of goods and also as carrying cases for these goods or as shopping bags for these or other goods, they are often rather unsuitable for these purposes because of their insufficient rigidity. One of the disadvantages of such plastic bags is that, due to their flexibility, they often do not protect the goods which are packed therein from being deformed or even damaged by the weight and pressure of other goods which might be stacked thereon. For this reason it has in the past been necessary to retain the old and expensive manner of storing and shipping many types of goods in solid containers, for example, in cardboard boxes. 'Shoes, for example, are still being stored in the conventional shoe cartons which are closed by separate covers. Such cartons have, however, generally the disadvantage that, because of their poor appearance, the necessity ofkeeping their covers closed, and their lack of a handle, they have to be wrapped or tied up again when their contents are sold to a purchaser. Furthermore, since such cartons are not transparent and their contents cannot be seen from the outside, each of them has to be dragged out of its stack before it can be opened for an inspection of its contents.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plastic bag which, although essentially consisting of thin sheet plastic may be solidified so as to protect the goods therein like a cardboard box, and which has the considerable advantage over such a box that it may not only be similarly stacked and handled, but that its contents may also be seen through it, that it may also serve as a final sales package for the goods contained therein and also as a carrying case for these goods, and that it is adjustable to a more flexible condition so as to permit it to be used as a shopping bag or for similar purposes.

According to the invention, this object may be attained by providing the plastic bag with an inner reinforcement which engages upon its wall and stretches and solidifies at least the bottom part of the bag so as to form a square body. This reinforcement which may consist, for example, of cardboard, is preferably designed so as to extend from the bottom of the bag to a marginal strip which surrounds the opening of the bag and may be drawn together by means of a cord which is adapted to close the bag and to be used as a handle for carrying the bag. If the reinforcement is made of such a construction, the plastic bag will be stretched out and solidified substantially along its entire length to form a square body.

, According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bag itself consists of a transparent sheet plastic and the reinforcement engages with the bag only at the bottom and two opposite side walls of the bag so that its contents may be easily seen from the outside through the two other sides. This permits a larger number of such bags to be equally stacked adjacent to and on top of each other so that at least one of the transparent sides of each bag faces outwardly and the contents of the different bags may be easily recognized, for example, by a salesman who is looking for one particular item which he wishes to show to a customer.

The plastic bag according to the invention may be used with considerable advantage, for example, for packing shoes and for storing them in such bags on shelves in the same manner as shoes were previously stored in cardboard boxes. Such a storing container may also form the final sales container in which the shoes are sold to the customer who may then carry the bag on the same cord which was originally provided thereon and which also kept the bag in a closed position while the shoes were stored on the shelf.

Generally it is advisable to make the reinforcements at least for the side walls of the plastic bags as separate elements which may be easily inserted into and removed from the bags. This permits a large number of these new plastic bags to be stored in a collapsed position on top of each other and, separately therefrom, also a large number of reinforcements on top of each other within a very small space. If the reinforcing inserts are designed for a particular type of goods, for example, shoes, the removability of these inserts also permits the plastic bags to be used, for example, as shopping bags for carrying other items, in which case a reinforcement of a different shape may be inserted into the bag or the bag may be used without any reinforcement,

The features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a side view of a boxlike plastic bag according to the invention which is provided with a special reinforcing insert for supporting a pair of sport shoes;

FIGURE 2 shows a perspective view of the side-wall reinforcement for the bag according to FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows a side view of a boxlike bag similar to that according to FIGURE 1, but containing a bottom reinforcement for supporting a pair of shoes of a different type;

FIGURES 4 and 5 show perspective views of two different bottom reinforcements for supporting shoes in a similar manner as shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 shows a side view of a plastic bag according to the invention which is provided with a reinforcing insert of a different shape;

FIGURE 7 shows a perspective view of a plastic bag according to the invention which is provided with a reinforcing insert of still another shape;

FIGURE 8 shows a side view of several reinforced plastic bags stacked on each other;

FIGURE 9 shows a side view of a plastic bag with a reinforcing insert according to a modification of the insert as shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 10 shows a side view of the plastic bag according to FIGURE 9 after parts of the side-wall reinforcements are removed; while FIGURE 11 shows a cross section which is taken along the line XI-XI in FIGURE 10.

In all of the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a bag of thin sheet plastic which is glued or welded so as to have a substantially rectangular cross section along its entire length when completely unfolded and expanded. This bag 1 is provided around its upper opening with a reinforcing strip 2 in which -a number of holes 3 are provided through which a cord 4 is inserted which permits the loose upper end portions of the bag to be drawn together and the end of which may be used as a handle for carrying the bag. When the bag 1, as illustrated in FIG- URES l and 3 is provided with a U-shaped insert 5, as separately shown in FIGURE 2 for reinforcing two opposite side walls of the bag and with another insert 6 for reinforcing the bottom of the bag, the bag will be stretched out and form a body which has a rectangular cross section and considerable solidity up to the upper end of the insert 5. The two inserts 5 and 6 may consist, for example, of cardboard, and may be made of flat rectangular pieces of a width in accordance with the Width of the two opposite bag walls which are to be reinforced. In order to permit the contents of the bag to be removed without requiring the insert 5 from being withdrawn entirely, this insert, as shown in FIGURE 2, is preferably made of two parts, one of which is provided with a slot 7 and the other with a tongue 16 which may be inserted into the slot 7 so as to close the upper end of the bag. Of course, it is also possible to provide other means for inserting and removing the contents of the bag. Thus, for example, one of the side walls of the bag which is not covered by the insert 5 may be provided underneath the upper opening of the bag with an aperture through which the goods may be passed into or out of the bag or, which may be more advisable, a similar aperture may be provided in one of the side walls of the bag which is covered by the insert 5 and also in the corresponding part of the insert itself. In any event, however, it is advisable to employ the U-shaped insert, as shown in FIGURE 2, since it maintains the individual flat parts of the reinforcement in the proper position and in engagement with the walls of the bag.

The bottom reinforcement 6 of each of the diiferent embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the drawings is connected to another insert 8 which projects toward the inside of the bag and may be used for different purposes. This additional insert may be either removable from or secured to the bottom part 6, for example, by gluing or welding.

According to FIGURE 1, the two wall portions 8' of this insert 8 which project toward the inside of the bag and together with the central part of the bottom part 6 enclose a hollow space of a triangular cross section serve as supporting surfaces for the spikes 14' of a pair of sport shoes 14 which is stored in bag 1. This prevents each of the shoes from being damaged by coming in contact with the sharp spikes of the other shoe. A similar purpose will be accomplished by the inserts 8 as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5. The opposite wall portions 8 of either of these inserts are provided with apertures 9 or 10 into which the heels 11 of the shoes 12 may be inserted so as to hold them in a fixed position. The wall portions 8' together with the central part of the bottom part 6 enclose a hollow space which may be used, for example, for keeping certain utensils which are to be used in connections with the shoes, for example, shoe strings, shoe cleaning material, or the like.

In the plastic bag according to FIGURE 6, the insert 8 is made of a shape so as to divide the inside of the bag into two separate compartments.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a plastic bag of a larger size. The insert 8 which in this case consists of plastic and is welded at the points 13 to the bottom 6 is designed so as to enclose together with the central part of the bottom 6 a relatively large rectangular space which is accessible from the outside through an aperture 17 which is provided in the bottom of the bag. This aperture may be closed by a zipper or slide fastener. The space between the walls 8 of the insert 8 may be utilized for storing articles, for example, shirts, which should not come into contact with the other articles, for example, shoes, which are kept in the remainder of the plastic bag.

Due to the framelike reinforcements 5 and 6 in any of the plastic bags 1 as illustrated, these bags have a substantially boxlike shape and may therefore be stacked on each other in the manner as illustrated in FIGURE 8. The wall portions of the inserts may also be provided with apertures through which the contents of the bags may be seen from the outside through the transparent bag material,

In order to provide the U-shaped insert 5 according to FIGURE 2 with a secure seat within the plastic bag 1, and especially to prevent the side walls of this insert from being pressed inwardly, it is advisable to provide the bottom part 6 or the other bottom insert 8 which is connected to this bottom part and both of which may be made of plastic with upwardly projecting ends 8", as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, which hold the lower ends of the insert 5 in a fixed position in engagement with the lower parts of the plastic bag.

FIGURE 10 further shows the plastic bag 1 according to FIGURE 9 in a position to which it may be adjusted when this bag with its contents no longer needs to be stacked on a shelf together with other filled bags and when there is thus no longer any need for maintaining the entire bag in the rigid boxlike condition as shown in FIGURE 9, for example, after the shoes 14 have been sold in this bag to a customer who merely wishes to use the bag for carrying or keeping the shoes or as a shopping bag for carrying other items. For this purpose it is only necessary to withdrawn the U-shaped reinforcing insert 5 through the opened upper end of the bag. The bottom reinforcements 6 and 8 which remain in the bag then prevent the latter from completely collapsing. The central upwardly projecting wall portions 8' of the bottom insert 8 then serve as a partition which has the advantage even when the bag is used as a shopping bag or for similar purposes that individual items which are placed in this bag will be separated from each other within two compartments. Of course, instead of firmly securing the insert 8 to the main bottom reinforcement 6 which is preferably permanently connected to the bottom of the plastic bag, it is also possible to provided the insert 8 as a removable part by merely holding it on the bottom reinforcement 6 by means of the lower free ends of the U-shaped insert 5 which firmly abut against the lateral ends of the insert 8 when the bag is in the closed position, as shown in FIGURES 1, 3, 6, and 7. The inserts 5 and 8 may also be integrally connected to each other so as to be removable together from the bag, while the bottom reinforcement 6 remains secured to the bottom of the bag.

FIGURE 11 finally shows a cross section of the bag according to FIGURES 9 and 10 and illustrates that the insert 8 and its upwardly projecting parts 8' extend across the entire width of the bag so that at least the lower parts of those side walls of the bag are also braced by these projecting parts 8" which are not in engagement with and directly supported by the U-shaped reinforcing insert 5.

Although my invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, I wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of suCh embodiments but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, What I claim is:

1. A container comprising a bag of flexible sheet plastic, and reinforcing means at the inside of said bag and engaging upon at least some of the walls of said bag so that at least the bottom part of said bag is stretched out and solidified so as to form a body of a substantially rectangular cross section, said reinforcing means comprising a substantially U-shaped reinforcing member bent of a flat piece of material adapted to be inserted into and to be removed from said bag through the upper opening thereof so that the two arms of said member engage with their flat surfaces with two opposite side walls of said bag and extend toward the bottom of said bag, the crosspiece connecting said arms adapted to be located underneath an upper marginal part of said bag adjacent to the upper opening thereof, a cord connected to said marginal part for drawing said part together to close said bag over said crosspiece, said cord also being adapted to serve as a handle for carrying said bag, said crosspiece of said U-shaped reinforcing member consisting of two separate parts, one of said parts having a slot therein and the other part having a tongue thereon adapted to be inserted into said slot for removably connecting said two parts to each other and for thereby permitting said bag to be opened and closed.

2. A container comprising a bag of flexible sheet plastic, and reinforcing means at the inside of said bag and engaging upon at least some of the walls of said bag so that at least the bottom part of said bag is stretched out and solidified so as to form a body of a substantially rectangular cross section, said reinforcing means comprising a substantially U-shaped reinforcing member bent of a flat piece of material adapted to be inserted into and to be removed from said bag through the upper opening thereof so that the two arms of said member engage with their flat surfaces with two opposite side walls of said bag and extend toward the bottom of said bag, the crosspiece connecting said arms adapted to be located underneath an upper marginal part of said bag adjacent to the upper opening thereof, a cord connected to said marginal part for drawing said part together to close said bag over said crosspiece, said cord also being adapted to serve as a handle for carrying said bag, said reinforcing means further comprising a reinforcing member having a bottom part adapted to engage upon the bottom of said bag and having end portions bent at right angles to said bottom part and adapted to extend over the lower ends of the arms of said U-shaped member, said lower ends being adapted to be held in a fixed position between said end portions and said two opposite side walls of said bag.

3. A container comprising a bag of flexible sheet plastic, and reinforcing means at the inside of said bag and engaging upon at least some of the walls of said bag so that at least the bottom part of said bag is stretched out and solidified so as to form a body of a substantially rectangular cross section, said reinforcing means comprising a reinforcing member secured to the inner side of the bottom of said bag, and a further member on said bottom reinforcing member having a part projecting upwardly and dividing at least the lower part of said bag into two compartments.

4. A container as defined in claim 3, in which said upwardly projecting part of said further member encloses a hollow space, said bottom of said bag and said bottom reinforcing member having superimposed openings leading from the outside into said hollow space.

5. A container as defined in claim 4, further comprising means for closing said opening in the bottom of said bag.

6. A container as defined in claim 3, in which said further member has a width substantially equal to the width of said bag, said further member including said upwardly projecting part thereof being adapted to engage upon two opposite side walls of said bag.

7. A container as defined in claim 3, in which said upwardly projecting part of said further member has apertures adapted to receive projecting parts of an article to be stored in each of said'compartments for holding said articles in a substantially fixed position within said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,563,616 8/1951 Perino. 3,249,286 3/ 1966 Palmer 229- FOREIGN PATENTS 804,959 8/ 1936 France. 651,638 4/ 1951 Great Britain. 263,991 12/ 1946 Switzerland.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER COMPRISING A BAG OF FLEXIBLE SHEET PLASTIC, AND REINFORCING MEANS AT THE INSIDE OF SAID BAG AND ENGAGING UPON AT LEAST SOME OF THE WALLS OF SAID BAG SO THAT AT LEAST THE BOTTOM PART OF SAID BAG IS STRETCHED OUT AND SOLIDIFIED SO AS TO FORM A BODY OF A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION, SAID REINFORCING MEANS COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED REINFORCING MEMBER BENT OF A FLAT PIECE OF MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED INTO AND TO BE REMOVED FROM SAID BAG THROUGH THE UPPER OPENING THEREOF SO THAT THE TWO ARMS OF SAID MEMBER ENGAGE WITH THEIR FLAT SURFACES WITH TWO OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS OF SAID BAG AND EXTEND TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF SAID BAG, THE CROSSPIECE CONNECTING SAID ARMS ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED UNDERNEATH AN UPPER MARGINAL PART OF SAID BAG ADJACENT TO THE UPPER OPENING THEREOF, A CORD CONNECTED TO SAID MARGINAL PART OF DRAWING SAID PART TOTOGETHER TO CLOSE SAID BAG OVER SAID CROSSPIECE, SAID CORD ALSO BEING ADAPTED TO SERVE AS A HANDLE FOR CARRYING SAID BAG, SAID CROSSPIECE OF SAID U-SHAPED REINFORCING MEMBER CONSISTING OF TWO SEPARATE PARTS, ONE OF SAID PARTS HAVING A SLOT THEREIN AND THE OTHER PART HAVING A TONGUE THEREON ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED INTO SAID SLOT FOR REMOVABLY CONNECTING SAID TWO PARTS TO EACH OTHER AND FOR THEREBY PERMITTING SAID BAG TO BE OPENED AND CLOSED. 